Virgin Media to raise fibre-network capacity fourfold
As web users' thirst for bandwidth soars, cable broadband purveyor Virgin Media is looking to squeeze four times the capacity out of its optical network, but without the expense of ripping out and upgrading its fibre.
The trend for online video content and popular bandwidth-heavy applications, such as the BBC's iPlayer, has led to concerns among ISPs that their infrastructure will soon be creaking under the strain.
But now Virgin Media — which, with its 20Mbps service, already offers the fastest broadband speeds in the UK and has a 50Mbps rollout planned for this year — has completed a trial of bandwidth-boosting kit which increased capacity on its long-haul 10G network fourfold.
